Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty businesses are capitalising on the large influx of tourists into the region on Wednesday with two cruise ships in port.
'The Port of Tauranga has done an amazing job of managing the arrival of these ships and their passengers – up to 7,100 including the crew,” says Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Tim Burgess.

See video interview below with Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Tim Burgess, where he talks about the benefit of having these ships in port at Tauranga.

The ships 'Diamond Princess' and 'The Rhapsody of the Seas' are the 31st and 32nd visits to Tauranga this season, which will see a total of 42 visits during the season that concludes on March 31.

The Diamond Princess berthed at the northern end of Mount Maunganui wharf, with the Rhapsody of the Seas in second position.

Tim says an increasing number of the passengers are electing to stay locally and take up entertainment options within Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty and businesses are responding.
An example of this is the new local hop-on and hop-off bus service run by Bethlehem Coachlines. The service started recently and offers passengers the options of stops at Mills Reef, Cargo Shed, Classic Flyers, Tauranga Art Gallery, Harrisons Gallery and the two i-SITEs in Mt Maunganui.
The two ships are berthed at Port of Tauranga early Wednesday and will depart about 6pm making for a spectacle around Pilot Bay and Mt Maunganui.